(Goblin Slayer x Fem!OC) Metamorphosis

The Village

"It's your fault I almost died!" Em shouted as she slammed the door open to her Mentor's house.

Her Mentor sipped on her tea calmly for a moment before speaking. Was she expecting Em to come back and confront her? "Oh?" Em was not in the mood to wait for her excuses. "What happened?"

"I went to the Adventure's Guild. I took a quest, and watched as two of my teammates were killed!"

Her Mentor did not react to the news, and instead seemed to stare not only at Em, but right through her. "What quest?"

"Does it matter? I almost died if it hadn't been for another adventurer!"

"Let me guess, it was a quest for goblins?" her Mentor asked. Em was surprised she would know that so well. "And your other teammates – they were a porcelain rank."

"Yes..."

"So, allow me to ask you something, my ugly one," she said. "Did you really think it wise to join a whole team of porcelain ranks who knew little to nothing about goblins?" Em didn't say anything in response, thinking about her words for a moment. "I taught you better than that. Goblins, while they look weak, they are agile and dangerous especially in a group let alone inside a cave. You chose to go with them. No body, not even I, forced you to go on the quest."

"This is exactly like you! You told me a few days ago I was not ready for the real world... that I still needed to train more."

"You weren't ready," her Mentor replied, finishing her tea. "Why do you think I sent you out there to begin with?"

"You son of a –" Em said, but then she decided not to finish that sentence. "I hate you sometimes."

Her Mentor smiled. "I know."

She left the house, not wanting to say something she might regret.

It didn't matter that her Mentor sent her to the Adventure Guild because Em took that quest without even second guessing if it was a good idea. She's right. I am stupid. Em's thoughts ran wild, as she traveled away from her Mentor. Now was not the time to pass the blame on herself or others. She needed to focus on other things like strengthening her magic. She was useless defending herself and the Priestess...

However, she seemed to have gone in a circle, because she found herself quite a bit away from the town. Instead, she stumbled upon a barren area. It looked like structures once stood there a long time ago. Why did it all seem so familiar to her before? Déjà vu. Nothing grew on the ground even with the buildings gone, as if the soil had been destroyed as well.

She touched the ground and closed her eyes, hearing voices calling for help, and the sound of screams becoming louder and louder with each second. She pulled her hand away. What happened here? "Run, Em!" her mother's voice. She could almost feel the heat from the fire that day as if it never stopped burning.

Why did it feel like she was walking back into the past? It was a bit confusing... She started feeling a bit dizzy.

"What are you doing here?" a voice from behind her asked out loud. Em turned around to see Goblin Slayer, the exact same adventurer who saved her and Priestess in the cave the other day.

"I... sorry. I was trying to make it back to Frontier Town."

Goblin Slayer nodded. "I see." He paused for a moment. "What did you say your name was?"

"Em."

He was silent.

"What... happened here?" Em asked him, amidst the silence.